Mr. Stephen Kent:

My understanding is that the NTA has that issue under review. As things stand, we will certainly participate in the review. Ultimately, how the NTA decides to award the services is at its discretion. As members may be aware, in the case of Kilkenny, for instance, the NTA decided the services in question had to be tendered. As such, Bus Éireann would be like any other organisation and would have to participate in a process. I cannot prejudice anything that is in the thinking of the NTA in respect of those services other than to state that I understand the way the Deputy is thinking. There are several towns around Ireland of which I have been made aware that fall under the review of the NTA. Depending on how those are done and whether they are awarded under direct contract again or are tendered, we will certainly participate in that process, whether it is for Parteen or somewhere in Donegal. We know there are places that are being looked at in that context.